Summary: This is a rebroadcast of <a href="https://www.bnipodcast.com/2014/12/10/episode-386-theres-no-substitute-good-substitute/">Episode 386</a>.<br> Synopsis<br> <a href="http://www.bnimass.com/memberdetails.php?userId=248022&regionId=4669&t=11564832e0c1d6e773f9740598c847f6a18e2d152bcb0f0b66137afc2cddeecb&name=Steve%20Tannuzzo&heading=Area+Director+Consultant+Details">Steve Tannuzzo</a> joins Dr. Misner this week for what they expect will be one of the most unpopular podcasts in BNI history.<br> It’s important to understand the appropriate use of the substitute program in BNI. Massachusetts BNI piloted a substitute program in 4 chapters, two very successful, two not so successful. All four chapters and their revenue grew. One chapter went from 18 members to 50 and $200,000 to more than $1 million in revenue.<br> The core of the program is that substitutes do not speak about their own businesses.It was never Dr. Misner’s intent for substitutes to be able to give their own 60-second presentations.<br> When the same substitute attends frequently and talks about his or her own business, it’s good for the individual, but not for the chapter.<br> Good substitutes are valuable to the chapter by giving great presentations about the person they’re representing. Substitutes are not there for themselves: they’re there for you.<br> Don’t accept mediocrity when excellence is an option. Try this in your own chapter.<br> Brought to you by <a href="http://globalnetworkingshow.com">The Global Networking Show</a>.<br> Complete Transcript of BNI Podcast Episode 386 –<br> Priscilla:<br><br> Hello everyone and welcome back to The Official BNI Podcast brought to you by the GlobalNetworkingShow.com, which is hosted by Andy Lopata and Dr. Ivan Misner. I am Priscilla Rice, and I am coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, CA. I am joined on the phone today by the Founder and Chairman of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan. How are you today?<br> Ivan:<br><br> I am doing great and I have a guest here on the show, Steve Tannuzzo, who is a freelance copywriter with a focus on website content, newsletters and advertising. He joined BNI in 2002, so Steve has been a member for 12 years and over the course of his membership was able to fulfill his dream of starting his own business in copywriting. He has been on the BNI Massachusetts team since 2003 and currently serves as an Area Director for over 1,000 members in more than 37 chapters.<br> Steve, thank you so much for being on the podcast today. We really appreciate you being on.<br> Steve:<br><br> Thank you, Ivan. My pleasure.<br> Ivan:<br><br> Listen, we are about to do what I think would be one of the more unpopular podcasts in BNI podcast history. How do you feel about that?<br> Steve:<br><br> I am very excited about it because while it is unpopular, I think by the time this podcast is over, we will change some minds.<br> Ivan:<br><br> You know, I couldn’t agree with you more. I think it might end up being a little bit unpopular at first, but the truth is what we are going to talk about will have a more significant impact on chapters than the overwhelming of the 380 podcasts that I have done so far because I think this is really, really important.<br> I created the substitute program because I thought it was really important to have an opportunity for people to be able to bring someone else in when they have a problem or some meeting that they absolutely have to do. I will be the first person to say that it has been extraordinarily abused in BNI. I think that as important as substitutes are to a membership, I think it is also important to understand the effective use of the substitute.<br> And there are some real positive uses of the substitutes, one of which is bringing in fresh faces rather than the same old person coming in again.
